Is Social Security offset by military retirement?

Generally, there is no reduction of Social Security benefits because of your military retirement benefits. You'll get your full Social Security benefit based on your earnings. While you're in military service, you pay Social Security taxes, just as civilian employees do.

An award of VA disability benefits, also known as service-connected disability compensation, is not based on income, so you can receive VA disability compensation and Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) at the same time. It is also possible to receive SSI and VA pension at the same time.

Most types of income received by a veteran and his or her spouse are counted by the V.A. when considering eligibility for a V.A. pension. This includes earnings, profits from a business, Social Security and other retirement and disability payments, and interest and dividends.

Basically, if you have had a VA service-connected disability rating for 5 years or more, the VA must prove your condition has improved on a sustained basis before they can reduce or terminate your disability rating. After 10 years, the VA can only reduce your rating; they cannot terminate it (absent proof of fraud).

In addition to Social Security disability benefits, veterans who are at least 10 percent disabled as a result of military service can receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ). Disability pensions are also available to wartime veterans with limited income.

Since 1957, if you had military service earnings for active duty (including active duty for training), you paid Social Security taxes on those earnings. Since 1988, inactive duty service in the Armed Forces reserves (such as weekend drills) has also been covered by Social Security.

Although disabled veterans can receive VA and SSDI benefits at the same time, different agencies or administrations still pay these benefits. These separate qualification processes mean some veterans can get VA disability but won't qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

A. No. Generally speaking, a corporate pension or any other form of retirement income — interest from an investment account, for instance — won't affect Social Security benefits. The amount you get is determined by your income history, not by other retirement money you may have coming in.

A: Social Security retirement benefits may be affected by a variety of factors, but your earned income is one of the most important. Your benefits in retirement are partly dependent on the income you received while working, since Social Security taxes vary based on that amount.

Can my pension be reduced? Answer: The short answer is no. Just because the stock market has been reeling and the economy is in a major funk, your employer can't reduce the size of the pension you've earned or take it away from you. If you have a defined-benefit pension, your employer is on the hook.

In June 2011, the average Social Security benefit was $1,180.80 per month. The maximum possible benefit for a worker retiring at age 66 in 2011 is $2,366. But to get this amount, the worker would need to earn the maximum taxable amount, currently $106,800, each year after age 21.

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Do pensions affect Social Security benefits?

A. No. Generally speaking, a corporate pension or any other form of retirement income — interest from an investment account, for instance — won't affect Social Security benefits. The amount you get is determined by your income history, not by other retirement money you may have coming in.

Can I collect military retirement VA disability and Social Security?

Eligible veterans who receive military retirement pay and VA disability compensation may further supplement their income with Social Security disability benefits. SSDI benefits for veterans are not reduced, no matter how much they receive from VA disability payments and military retirement.

Can I receive Social Security retirement and VA disability?

An award of VA disability benefits, also known as service-connected disability compensation, is not based on income, so you can receive VA disability compensation and Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) at the same time. It is also possible to receive SSI and VA pension at the same time.

Do you pay Medicare tax on military retirement pay?

Generally payment you receive as a member of the military is taxed as wages. You must report this information on your tax return. The good news is that though subject to federal income tax, military retirement pay is not subject to FICA deductions – the payroll tax used to fund Social Security and Medicare.

How does military retirement pay affect Social Security?

Generally, there is no reduction of Social Security benefits because of your military retirement benefits. You'll get your full Social Security benefit based on your earnings. While you're in military service, you pay Social Security taxes, just as civilian employees do.

Are veterans eligible for Social Security?

In addition to Social Security disability benefits, veterans who are at least 10 percent disabled as a result of military service can receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ). Disability pensions are also available to wartime veterans with limited income.

Do veterans get extra Social Security benefits?

A: When veterans apply for retirement or disability benefits, Social Security checks their records. If they have qualifying military service, they get credit for additional wages for their military service. These credits are added to the veteran's lifetime earnings record — not to the veteran's monthly benefit check.

What month does Social Security recalculate benefits?

The Social Security Administration is committed to recalculating your earnings and benefits each year after receiving your tax returns. However, it may take a long time for the agency to receive the returns. For example, in 2014, SSA is receiving returns from the 2012 tax year.

Can a 100 disabled veteran receive Social Security disability?

Both Social Security and VA pay disability benefits. However, their programs, processes, and criteria for receiving benefits are very different. A VA compensation rating of 100% Permanent and Total does not guarantee that you will receive Social Security disability benefits.

Do federal employees pay into the Social Security system?

Employees under the Civil Service Retirement System, which generally covers employees first hired before 1984, pay 7 percent of their salary into the federal retirement fund. They don't pay Social Security payroll taxes, nor do they earn a Social Security benefit through their federal service.

Do VA disability benefits affect Social Security?

SSDI is not affected by the receipt of VA disability compensation or pension, or DoD disability compensation. So you can receive SSDI while also getting those VA or DoD benefits. However, VA Disability Pension will be impacted by the receipt of SSDI because VA Disability Pension is based on need.

When did the military start paying Social Security?

Since 1957, if you had military service earnings for active duty (including active duty for training), you paid Social Security taxes on those earnings. Since 1988, inactive duty service in the Armed Forces reserves (such as weekend drills) has also been covered by Social Security.

Is Military Retirement considered income for social security?

For Social Security tax purposes, military retirement pay is not considered earned income and no Social Security payroll taxes (also known as Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes) are withheld from military retirement pay. You receive disability payments for a combat-related injury.

Do disabled veterans qualify for Social Security?

Although disabled veterans can receive VA and SSDI benefits at the same time, different agencies or administrations still pay these benefits. These separate qualification processes mean some veterans can get VA disability but won't qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

Do Vietnam vets get any benefits?

VA Benefits for Vietnam Veterans. Vietnam Veterans may be eligible for a wide-variety of benefits available to all U.S. military Veterans. VA benefits include disability compensation, pension, education and training, health care, home loans, insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and burial.

Can they take away my VA disability?

Basically, if you have had a VA service-connected disability rating for 5 years or more, the VA must prove your condition has improved on a sustained basis before they can reduce or terminate your disability rating. After 10 years, the VA can only reduce your rating; they cannot terminate it (absent proof of fraud).

Can you still work if you have 100% VA disability?

A veteran generally can still work when receiving VA disability. However, typically in order to receive individual unemployability or a 100 percent schedule rating for certain disabilities, a veteran cannot work full time or make over a certain amount of money per year (generally anything above the poverty line).